There are three different posting screens available. The new topic button, visible in forums and in topics allows you to add a new topic to that particular forum. The new poll button (if the admin has enabled it) will also be viewable in topics and forums allowing you to create a new poll in the forum. When viewing a topic, there will be an add reply button, allowing you to add a new reply onto that particular topic.

Posting new topics and replying

When making a post, you will most likely have the option to use IBF/BB Code when posting. This will allow you to add various types of formatting to your messages. For more information on this, click the 'BB Code Help' link under the emoticon box to launch the help window.

Rich Text EditorThe Rich Text Editor (RTE) is a WYSIWYG editor, similar to WordPad. Instead of seeing the bits of BB Code, you'll see how the post will look when it's finally posted, like a live preview. You can take advantage of the RTE if you have Internet Explorer 6 or higher, or Firefox 1.5 or higher.

The Toolbar

From left to right, top to bottom:

Remove Formatting: This will remove all formatting from the post.

Insert Special Item: This box will allow you to insert items such as Topic Links, Post Links, and other Custom BB Code that the Admin allows. See the BB Code Help for further information on what these objects will look like.

Fonts: This will allow you to choose a font for your text. If you have the RTE enabled, the chosen font(s) will be displayed within your post.

Sizes: In this box, you can choose from seven different sizes for your fonts.

Undo and Redo: These two arrows will undo or redo your last action.

Entry box size buttons: Here, you can increase or decrease the size of the post box, giving you more or less room to work.

Standard Editor/RTE Toggle: This button will switch between the Standard Editor and the RTE. You can also change this setting via "My Controls"

Styling Buttons: Bold, italic, and underline respectively, which will apply said styling to your selected text.

Text Formatting: This button will let you choose to superscript, subscript, or strikethrough your text.

Text Color: This box will display a list of several colors in which to apply to your text.

Emoticons: The button with the smiley icon will display a listing of all the emoticons for the board, and allow you to insert them into the post.

Outdent/Indent: These two buttons will let you indent your text to the right, or outdent it back to the left.

Text Alignment Buttons: These buttons will let you choose left, center, right, or justified alignment for the selected text.

Lists: These two buttons will let you create ordered (ie. numbered) or unordered (ie. bulleted) lists.

Toggle Side Panel

Clicking this will bring up a Side Panel containing helpful links. It will include all 'Clickable' emoticons, as well as the same Custom BB Code in the 'Insert Special Item' menu.

You can click 'Toggle Side Panel' to either close or open the Side Panel. Your selection will be honored board-wide.

Post Options

There are three options available when making a post or a reply. 'Enable emoticons?' if this is unchecked, then any text that would normally be converted into an emoticon will not be. 'Enable signature?' allows you to choose whether or not you would like your signature to appear on that individual post. 'Enable email notification of replies?' ticking this box will mean that you will receive e-mail updates to the topic, see the 'Email Notification of new messages' help topic for more information on this. If the Admin has allowed it, you can also choose to enable HTML parsing for this post.

You also have the option to choose a post icon for the topic/post when creating one. This icon will appear next to the topic name on the topic listing in that forum, or will appear next to the date/time of the message if making a reply to a topic.

Poll Options

If you have chosen to post a new poll, there will be an extra two option boxes at the top of the help screen. The first input box will allow you to enter the question that you are asking in the poll. The text field underneath is where you will input the choices for the poll. Simply enter a different option on each line. The maximum number of choices is set by the board admin, and this figure is displayed on the left.

Quoting Posts

Displayed below each post in a topic, there is a 'Quote' button. Pressing this button will allow you to reply to a topic, and have the text from a particular reply quoted in your own reply. When you choose to do this, an extra text field will appear below the main text input box to allow you to edit the content of the post being quoted.

Editing Posts

Above any posts that you have made, you may see an 'Edit' button. Pressing this will allow you to edit the post that you had previously made.

When editing you may see an option to 'Add the 'Edit by' line in this post?'. If you tick this then it will show up in the posts that it has been edited and the time at which it was edited. If this option does not appear, then the edit by line will always be added to the post.

If you are unable to see the edit button displayed on each post that you have made, then the administrator may have prevented you from editing posts, or the time limit for editing may have expired.

Fast Reply

Where it has been enabled, there will be a fast reply button on each topic. Clicking this will open up a posting box on the topic view screen, cutting down on the time required to load the main posting screen. Click the fast reply button to expand the reply box and type the post inside of there. Although the fast reply box is not expanded by default, you can choose the option to have it expanded by default, from the board settings section of your control panel. Pressing the 'More Options' button will take you to the normal posting screen.